Torch Light Led Brave Officers To Unconscious Fisherman

[mrmoshe]

Torch light led brave officers to unconscious fisherman

Two policemen dived into turbulent seas in the dark to try to save a fisherman swept off a rock by a wave.

Despite their 40-minute "extremely gutsy" actions at Fisherman's Beach, Port Kembla, south of Wollongong on Sunday night, the fisherman died after he was taken to shore by a helicopter.

Leading Senior Constable Jason Bentley and Senior Constable Jeff Sheppeard, who had responded to a triple-0 call from the beach, will now be recommended for bravery awards.

The 43-year-old fisherman had been wearing a head torch and that was what the two officers saw glowing under water about 50 metres out from the rocks, Inspector Ron Davis of Lake Illawarra Command said.

"And that's when they stripped down, took the angel rings ... and jumped into what was very turbulent seas in an attempt to save the fisherman."

In pitch-black conditions, the officers, who have each worked for the police for about a decade, swam towards the torchlight, battling cold and churning waters.

When they reached the light, they found only the torch and not the fisherman.

They spotted him floating unconscious nearby and worked together to keep his head above water until the rescue helicopter winched him up and onto Hill 60, a lookout point nearby.

There, other police officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

The two remained in the water until they were also winched to safety 40 minutes after taking the plunge.

They were taken to Wollongong Hospital and released soon after.

Neither Leading Senior Constable Bentley, a highway patrol officer, nor Senior Constable Sheppeard, a general duties officer at Lake Illawarra Local Area Command, had special rescue training, Inspector Davis said.

"They're definitely not trained for that sort of action. That's the action they took upon themselves, given the circumstances," he said.

"Their actions on the night have been viewed as extremely gutsy and brave and there will be [recommendations] to acknowledge their brave efforts," Inspector Davis said.

Two other men died in separate drownings at NSW beaches over the Easter weekend.

Yesterday afternoon, a 36-year-old man drowned after he and his son, 12, were caught in a rip at The Reef near Mollymook Beach on the NSW south coast.

The son swam back to shore, but his father did not. Lifesavers found him shortly after and he was brought to Milton Hospital where he was declared dead, police said.

A 59-year-old British tourist died after he and his wife were reported missing by his grandchild at Elouera Beach, near Cronulla in Sydney's south about 6.45pm yesterday.

Police said the pair were pulled from the surf, but the grandfather could not be resuscitated.

[crunch]

Well done to them!

I went for a flick Saturday morning and bailed by 11am as the swells were getting a bit hairy. No way would I have been out this week at night.